The Braves went to great lengths in Sunday afternoon's 6-1 loss to the New York Mets to get ready for the playoffs, manager Bobby Cox substituting as freely as if this were a spring training game, and using eight pitchers in the process.

``Everybody got their at-bats and got their pitching work, and we're ready to roll,'' Cox said. ``We got beat, but we had a good day.''

The Braves, who return home to open the division series against the Giants Wednesday afternoon, finished with 101 wins, their best total since winning 103 games in 1999. Their overall road record was a league-best 49-31, their best since the '98 club was 50-31 away from home.

``We won the division by 20 games and we're going to the playoffs,'' first baseman Matt Franco said. ``I don't know how you can ask for much more than that.''

The Braves spared the Mets the embarrassment of completing a four-game sweep, which would have been their first at Shea Stadium since moving to Atlanta 36 years ago. Jason Marquis, who is unlikely to be included on the postseason roster, ensured he'd finish with a 5.00 ERA by pitching the first two innings and allowing one run on two hits. The loss went to reliever Mike Remlinger, who surrendered Mo Vaughn's tie-breaking home run on a misplaced fastball in the fourth.

First baseman Julio Franco's error triggered a four-run fifth. Damian Moss, who will move to the bullpen for the division series, fielded Joe McEwing's bunt in the fifth, but Franco misplayed his throw and two batters later pinch hitter Ty Wigginton delivered a two-run double into the left field corner. Mike Piazza followed with a 400-foot home run into the Mets bullpen to make it 6-1.

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And lest anyone think the Braves were concerned about winning this one, think again. Cox pulled most of his regulars after two at-bats, and even lifted reliever Tim Spooneybarger with two outs in the eighth to allow journeyman reliever Joe Dawley to make his major league debut.

The two teams combined to use 45 players, tying a major league record.

``This is the part of the season everybody lives for,'' left fielder Chipper Jones said. ``It's not huge news that we have success in the regular season, it's how far we go in the postseason.''

The Braves scored their only run in the fourth, when Henry Blanco skipped a double down the left field line and Mark DeRosa lined a single to left.

Blanco also had two singles to push his batting average over the Mendoza line to .204. Gary Sheffield doubled and singled in his two at-bats, while Andruw Jones reached base twice with a walk and single.